Surgical Apgar Score for Identifying Patients Who May Need Intensive Care After Emergency Abdominal Surgery (SAS-ICU)

Emergency general surgery laparotomy is associated with a substantial risk of postoperative complications and may require postoperative intensive care. In resource-limited healthcare settings, appropriate identification of patients who are likely to require intensive care may assist in postoperative triage and rational allocation of limited critical care resources.

The Surgical Apgar Score (SAS) is a simple 10-point perioperative risk score calculated using three intraoperative parameters: estimated blood loss, lowest mean arterial pressure, and lowest heart rate. Lower scores have been associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality in several surgical populations. Previous studies have also reported an association between low SAS and direct postoperative intensive care unit admission. However, evidence regarding its utility among patients undergoing emergency general surgery laparotomy in the local setting is limited.

This study will prospectively observe patients undergoing emergency exploratory laparotomy at Mayo Hospital Lahore and evaluate the relationship between the Surgical Apgar Score and direct postoperative intensive care unit admission. The score will be calculated immediately after surgery using routinely documented intraoperative parameters. Patients will subsequently be categorized according to their SAS, with scores of 7 or less classified as low and scores greater than 7 classified as high.

The study will determine the frequency of direct intensive care unit admission and assess whether patients with a low Surgical Apgar Score are more likely to require direct postoperative intensive care than those with a higher score. Relevant demographic and clinical characteristics will also be recorded to allow assessment of factors that may influence the relationship between SAS and intensive care admission.

The findings may help determine whether the Surgical Apgar Score can serve as a simple and readily available tool for identifying emergency laparotomy patients at increased risk of requiring postoperative intensive care. This may support more objective postoperative triage and resource allocation in high-volume, resource-constrained surgical settings.